Taylor Road Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 23/03/2004 Inspector Name Anne Jacqueline Nicholson

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Heatherside Pre-School Setting Address Heatherside Community Centre Martindale Avenue Camberley Surrey GU15 1BB

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Heatherside Pre-school

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Heatherside Pre-school Address Heatherside Community Centre Martindale Avenue Camberley Surrey GU15 1BB

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

Heatherside Preschool (hall) has been open for over 20 years (since early 1980's). It operates from a large hall within the community centre in Heatherside, close to Camberley. There are toilets and kitchen facilities within the building. It serves families from the local community and surrounding villages. There are currently 39 children, aged from 2.5 years to 5 years, on roll. This includes 19 funded three year olds and 13 funded four years olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports a number of children with special needs and/or who speak English as an additional language. The nursery opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:05 until 11.45. Five members of staff work with the children. Four members of staff have a recognised early years qualification. One member of staff is current on a training programme. Four members of staff hold a current first aid certificate. The setting

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Information about the setting

receives support from the Early Years Childcare Service (EYCS).

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

The provision for nursery education at the Heatherside School is acceptable and of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the Early Learning Goals.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The quality of teaching is very good and staff are confident in their knowledge of the early learning goals. Children regularly enjoy a wide variety of planned activities and stimulating learning opportunities using natural materials and general resources. Children's behaviour is very good and managed consistently by staff. Children are confident and play independently taking turns and sharing, they are developing their self-care skills. The current system of assessment and record keeping allows for children's individual progress towards the early learning goals to be recorded, however, children's individual targets are not always linked directly to planning. Plans and strategies are in place to ensure that all children are included and their needs are met. The setting receives additional support from the Early Years and Childcare Service. Leadership and management of the setting is very good. Management and staff are

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How effective is the nursery education?

all fully committed to maintaining and improving the quality of care and education for all children. They complete a self-assessment evaluation form. Monitoring of assessment and recording systems generally ensures children's individual achievements are recorded. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Useful information about the setting is provided for parents and displayed on notice boards. Parents provide information about the needs of their children and are welcomed into the nursery to liaise with staff. They receive information about their children's progress through written reports and work folders, however, the information they receive and the language used is not always clearly understood and requires clarifying.

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What is being done well?

• Children display very good behaviour and caring relationships for those around them. They are encouraged to take turns and share. Children can see photos of themselves on the computer screensaver and enjoy this. • Children have daily opportunities to listen, respond and communicate through stories and the welcome sessions. They link letters to sounds of letters. They enjoy books and stories and have an enticing and cosy area to sit in to enjoy the books. • Children are provided with daily opportunities and a variety of resources, materials and activities to develop their pre-writing skills. • Children are developing mathematical language and counting skills, they are

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 encouraged to problem solve through planned activities. • Partnership with parents is generally good. Parents receive some information about the setting through a prospectus and newsletters, however, some operational information is less accessible to them. They have opportunities to see how their children are progressing by looking through their child's 'child profile file' and they receive a written report. • Planning and strategies are in place to ensure that all six areas of learning are covered however planning and assessments do not always show or link the children's targets to the activity.

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What needs to be improved?

• Points to consider: • Improving links between planning, assessments and targets for individual children. • Ensuring that parents know what the Foundation Stage, early learning goals and pre-school policies are and have at least yearly information on how their children progress. Ensuring that parents understand what information is sent out as parents perception and staffs sometimes vary.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the setting was asked to: Extend children's learning by enhancing teaching through developing an effective approach to questioning in order to encourage children to think. Staff now use more open questions to extend children's learning. They encourage children to think of other examples (for example think of different named vegetables in theme work not just the most common ones to children) and predict what may happen if and when they do an activity or experiment.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children display caring attitudes to each other. They are confident, motivated and are developing their concentration skills. They take turns, share and behaviour is good. Children access resources freely during the session which encourages their independence. Children have daily opportunities to develop their personal care skills. They are developing an understanding of the local community, other cultures and the natural world through practical activities and a variety of resources.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children develop their language for communication and thinking through a variety of activities including participation in discussions in the welcome session. The book area is enticing and encourages children to sit and 'explore reading', staff also read stories daily. Children have daily opportunities to develop their pre-writing skills using a variety of materials, sand trays and activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children develop mathematical language and counting skills through a wide variety of everyday activities. Counting and calculating are regularly encouraged within the session. Children's thinking and problem solving skills are developed through using a wide variety of natural resources and activities. Children count confidently up to 10 and recognise the numerals 1 - 10.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children use resources to develop an awareness of information and communication technology and are confident using the computer. They are encouraged to use a variety of materials, tools and natural resources to be creative with. Children have many opportunities to use their senses. Opportunities are created for children to regularly experience their local environment and explore aspects of other cultures.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have opportunities to develop physically within the setting even though there is no designated outside area. There are daily opportunities to develop their gross and fine motor skills through the use of resources, apparatus and activities which allow children to climb over, through and on. There are planned physical activity sessions including action songs and musical movement. Children use a diverse range of tools and equipment on a regular basis.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are encouraged to use all their senses to explore and investigate and planning provides opportunities to do this both inside and outside. Children have daily opportunities and a wide variety of resources available to develop creatively and imaginatively. Children explore music and rhythms through using music tapes, action rhymes and songs.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • Points to consider: • Ensure that planning clearly shows the next goals for individual children to help them move forward in their learning. • Ensure that the information provided and terminology used with parents is explained to them, understood and informative about their children's progress.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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